BLOGAHOMA

The inevitable, the passing of Louis Fahrion, occurred this month; not particularly notable unless he was your husband, dad or Pap-Pap. He was 87 with complications of heart problems and diabetes which left his body pretty useless but his brain kept on keeping on. When his physical world collapsed his virtual world opened up. His first computer came about the time her turned 80 because of the nudging of his children and grandchildren. Not surprising to us he (being much brighter than the average welder) became computer savvy, digging into CAD programs and delving into the Internet knowledge dispensary. It was, I believe, what diverted his focus from his failing health to all the new things that was yet to be learned. He was on his third computer which was being continually upgraded by his daughter.

Pap-Pap shares a story with great grandson Gavin

When we returned to Ohio and West Virginia for my father-in-law’s funeral we took account of the (to be expected) physical things. Digging through his closets and dresser we found his clothes, Tyrolean hat, a drawer full of key fobs, books historical, technical and fiction, cufflinks, Masonic jewelry and notepads. But the expanded world of the computer proved more interesting. We weren’t there to hear his last words but we did find his last searches on Google.  On our winter visit we put Pap-Pap on Twitter, so even if he didn’t leave a “tweet”, he could follow his children and grandchildren on their day to day activities. My husband sifted through his computer files moving over what might of interest for posterity, letter, notes and Eureka! a personal memoir. Now that is the inheritance Michael really wanted, his dad’s memoirs.

The computer now wiped clean of Louis Fahrion’s files, sits in my daughters Family Consumer Science classroom as Luke would have wanted it, passing on keys of knowledge to the next generation.